Al Wasl began their AFC Champions League Elite Group campaign on Monday evening with a vital 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor.
The match, held at Pakhtakor Central Stadium, saw Soufiane Bouftini score the decisive goal in the 64th minute, giving Al Wasl a crucial away win to kick off their group stage journey.
Al Wasl started the game on the front foot, immediately putting pressure on Pakhtakor’s defense.
In the 3rd minute, Adama Diallo came close to opening the scoring with a powerful shot that struck the post before being collected by the Pakhtakor goalkeeper.
Just a few minutes later, Diallo threatened again, sending a header narrowly wide in the 5th minute.
goalkeeper was kept busy in the first half, making several important saves to deny Al Wasl, particularly in the 18th minute when he prevented two clear scoring chances.
Al Wasl continued to control the match in the second half, and their persistence was rewarded in the 64th minute.
rose to meet a cross and headed the ball past the goalkeeper, breaking the deadlock and giving his team the lead.
Pakhtakor tried to fight back, but Al Wasl’s defense remained solid.
Khalid Al Senaani, Al Wasl’s goalkeeper, made a crucial save in the 76th minute to preserve the lead, capping off an excellent individual performance.
Despite Pakhtakor’s attempts to find an equalizer, Al Wasl held firm and secured the win.
The 1-0 result earned them three valuable points, giving them a strong start in the AFC Champions League Elite Group.
Al Wasl will now turn their attention to their next match, where they will host Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli on September 30th at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai.
This important win puts them in a strong position as they look to continue their campaign with another positive result.
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